X-ray device



G. BIERMANN ET AL X-RAY DEVI C E May 6, 1930.

Filed March 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r S .55 9 r a Z w W o I w m w 7 m5M J. 5 a 4 l n 1 3,... 1 up 6 M Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED} STATES'GO'IJTFRIED BIERMANN, or IBERLIN-GHARLOTTENBURG,. AND: onnr. 'NIEMANN,or?

.BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS-T0- SIE1V[E1\TS.& HALSKE,AKTIENG-ESELLSCHAFT,

or srEMENssTAn'r, NnAR BERLIN, GERMAnY,

A CORPORATION or GERMANY X-RAY DEVICE 1' Application filed March 13,1926, Serial No. i94,78,.and in Germany March 14, 1925. i

The present invention relates to improvements in X-ray devices.

In X-ray devices for therapeutic uses severalconditions must besatisfied on account of'the high electrical tensions which are employed.It is however very diflicult to satisfyall these conditionssimultaneously.

On one side a sufiicient protection mustbe provided against accidentalcontact of persons with parts of the apparatus carrying high voltagesand against the evolution of noxious gases, as Well as against thespread ing of the X-rays beyond the area where their action is desired.On the other hand the device must nevertheless be easily handleable and'soarranged that the effective beam of rays which is screened off forthe treatment can be thrown in any direction in which it is to be used.7

The usual X-ray devices do not satisfy these conditions simultaneously.

In X-ray tubes operating with very high tensions the electrode-carryingtubular ends are in themselves veryflong. It has been proposed toenclose such tubes in a tubeshaped container. This expedient gives asuflicient protection against stray rays but makes the device veryunhandy. Such devices were movably arranged. The'input wires for theelectrodes were passed through the side wall of the container, so thatthe high tension wires lay unprotected. This is very disturbing,especially when the device is moved in order to throw the'rays in acertain direction, because the wires in such cases are shiftedcontinually.

To avoid these drawbacks, constructions were devised in which the tubesand the conducting wires were enclosed in large metallic containers,usually grounded and secured to a wall; Arrangements of this kind havethe advantage that the partition or wall separates the chamber orcompartment containing the high tension apparatus from the chambercontaining the patient to be treated with X-rays. Also, all conductorscarrying high tension currents are enclosed in the container and carriedthrough the wall into the high'tension chamber, so that injuriousfgasescan be conveyed away readily] However,

these devicesalso are unhandy, since on account of the rigid fasteningof the container to the wall itbecomes necessary to place-the patient ona table adapted to be placed in different positions and provided withmeans for'itsvertical adjustment. I These drawbacks are avoided by ourpresent, invention. WVe employ a readily adjustable high-tension-proof[and X-ray-proof tubular container for the ,X-ray tube, and makeprovision for preventing the passage of gases into the treatmentchamber. The

container isadaptedto beraised or lowered,

preferably transversely to its" longitudinal axis, and extends throughthe partition separating the treatment chamber from the loweringmechanism at bothe nds, or at a pointbetween the ends of the container,preferably about midway-betweenthem. In'this lattercase, only onepointof the container is connected with the raising and lowering mechanism,and ahorizontal pivot or like connect'ion may be arranged at this point.

Two examples of our invention are illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in

which Fig. l is a front elevation ofone embodiment of our X-rayapparatus, with parts in section Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof,withparts'in section; Fig. 3 is a plan view, likewise with parts insection; and Figs. 4, 5, and6 are corresponding views showinganotherform "of our invention- As represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,'the con- 1tainer l fort-he X-ray tube 2 is a hollow cylinder made of hard paper.An external coat-- ingor sleeve 3 of lead is applied to that part of thecontainer which surrounds the X-ray tube. Sockets 4 made of lead glassare securedto the extremities of the X-raytube.

The container 1 is mounted to turnabout its longitudinal axis, so that;abeam"of X-rays, which passes out] through the window or screen 5, may beprojected in difierent directions in a plane perpendicular to said axis.

The supporting brackets or carriers 6, 7 in which the container 1 isthus mounted to turn,

can be raised or lowered in unison by means is movable,separ-atethe-treatment chamber. I from the-chamber II: in which thehightension generator (not shown) is located; the other carrier .7 movesalong, and virtually forms a part of, one of the walls of a box-like"closet ILL, situated within the treatment chamber I. 10 designates ahigh tension wire; or terminal extending axially from one end of thetube 2 through the-container 1 into the high tension chamber II, theother terminal extending in the opposite direction from t-heflth rend'ofthe tube-2' intothe closet III.

Through the ceilingofthis closet, such other terminalispasced as-atelescopic tube 11, and is then extended under the ceiling of thetreatment chamber I into the high'tension chamber II. Accidental contactof the operator or patient with the high tension conduc-- tors is thusabsolutely prevented. Another advantage of this construction is that theconductors are arranged in. fixedpositions and thus: may be given suchample. dimensions that the formation of noxious gases is avoided. v

Th e hightension conductor 12., which is laid along the ceiling, ispreferably made tubular, to'serve as a conduit for compressed air. Thisair is blown through the tubular.

conductors 12, 11 into the container 1, to pass alongthe X-ray tube 2andis then discharged into the high tension chamber II, as indicated in2. An eflicient cooling of the tube is thus obtained, and any gases thatmay be formed, are driven into the high tension chamber II through theendof the container 1 which opens-into said chamber.

. The table 13 upon whichthe patient is laid is preferablyarrangedlengthwise under the container 1. Insomecases, it may benecessary toplace the table crosswise under the I container 1,. becausethe inclination of the beam can be varied in one plane only. This latterobjectionis overcomeby' the formof our invention illustrated. by Figs.4:, 5, and 6.

;In this form, one ofthe; high tension terminals of the X-ray'tube2,,arranged axially in.

the hard paper cylindrical'container 1, passes out of the- .containeraxially, preferably not asawire 0t relatively smalldiameter, butas atube 15.-lining the inner wall of the container. 1. The other hightension terminal is? laid in the same-direction on the outside-ct.

the container 1 7 In order to preventrupture: or perforationby-so-calledpoint discharges, this terminal is formed as surrounds theouter wall of the tubular con.- tainerl closely, the electrostaticefiiect a tube- 16 whichtainer 1. Around this cylinder 17 is laid thelead'jacket 3. I

Instead; of; adoptingthe arrangement. just described,.a grounded'lead:tube may be. substituted for the; other terminal. 16.; the positive poleof the source of high tension current is grounded, the return conductorand the lead jacket 3 will be dispensed with, I

and the containerfor the X-rayt'ube then becomes a one-pole device.

Thecontainer with the X-ray tube therein 7 and associated parts can berotated or turned about its longitudinal axis ina ring-shapedv socket orcarrier 18, so that the beam, of X. rays can be emitted. in anydirection. To. facilitate such: turning of the container, the latter'maybe provided withhandles 24. The

socket .18 is arranged at the central; portion ofthe container, so as tosecure a partial bale ancing thereof,.and"it will'be noted thatone endof said container is in the high tension chamberII, while the other endislocatedin' treatment chamber I. The socket 18 con-- nectediw th .a:fork 20 by means of horizontal. trunni'ons 19': In order. that thesource of the X-rays may be adjusted to diflerent levels, the fork20*maybe raised or lowered on rails 21 by means of two wires 9,engaging. suitable guide rolls and equipped with counterweights 8. A,cover plate, 22 connected with the fork 20, closes theopening in thewall andseparates the treatment chamber I from, the high tension chamberII, althoughv a communication between said chambers is afforded byopenings in the tube-shaped d'evicej The cylinderjlimay. be closedby, aetaratedplate 23 or by a screen- B'y arranging a suction fan-25. in thehigh in tension chamber II, a current of air may be caused tofiow fromthe treatment chamber I: through the container 1 and along theXra-y tube2' into the high tension. chamber II.

Thus the said tube is-cooledand any noxious I;

gaseswhich'may be, formed, are sucked in-to the high tension chamberwithout having any opportunity to reach the treatment chamber.

Various modifications may be made with;- out departing from thenatu'reof ourjinvention as set forth in the appendedlclaims.

We claim:

1([In an,X.-ray devi'ce,.a. chamber adapted to contain apparatus for theproduction of high tension electric energy for the produc-v tionofXY-rays,another chamber adapted to contain. the'patient, a wall.separating said; chambers, a carrler movable up and down adjacent tosaid wall, an'insulated tubular container supported on said carrier"and.

journaled therein to turn about the longitudinal axis of the container,and an X-ray tube surrounded by said container and movable therewith. V

2. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supplyhigh tension current for X-ray production, another chamber for thereception of thepatient, a Wall separating said chambers and providedwith an aperture, a container extending through said aperture andmovable up and down therein, an X-ray tube within said container, and acover for closing said aperture. 7

3. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supplyhigh tension current for X-ray production, another cham ber for thereception of the patient, a wall separating said chambers, a carriermovable up and down adjacent to said wall, a container extending fromone of said chambers into the other, the middle portion of saidcontainer being supported on said carrier movably to allow the containerto turn. about its longitudinal axis, and an X-ray tube mounted withinsaid container.

tures.

GOTTFRIED BIERMANN. CARL .NIEMANN.

4. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a

cylindrical container for said tube, and conductors of cylindricalshape, mounted on the inside and on the outside respectively of saidcontainer, for carrying current to said tube.

5. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supplyhigh tension current for X-ray production, another chamber for thereception of the patient, a wall separating said chambers, a carriermovable up and down adjacent to said wall, a cylindrical container thecentral portion of which is supported by said carrier movably to allowthe container to turn about its longitudinal axis, the ends of saidcontainer being in said first-mentioned and in said second-mentionedchamber respectively, conductors of cylindrical shape, mounted on theinside and on the outside respectively of said container, and an X-raytube located within said container and adapted to receive current fromsaid conductors.

6. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a

cylindrical container for said tube, a cylindrical conductor mounted onthe inside of said container, and another cylindrical con-v ductormounted around the outside of said container and surrounding the X-raytube.

7. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a cylindrical container for saidtube, cylindrical conductors for supplying current to said tube, mountedon the inside and on the outside respectively of said container, aninsulating layer covering the outer conductor, and a metallic coversurrounding said layer and adapted to be grounded.

8, In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a tubular container enclosing saidtube, a carrier socket in which said container is mounted to turn aboutthe axis of the container,and

